Demo2DeRo: Anxiety
High

February 16, 2010

BY JIM DeROGATIS POP
MUSIC CRITIC

Though bands such as Big Black,
Naked Raygun, Pegboy and the
Effigies all pursued radically
distinctive paths during the
indie heyday of the mid-'80s, to
the extent that there ever was a
"Chicago punk sound," its common
denominators were relentless
rhythms, churning, in-your-face
guitars and a ferocity that
always was leavened by a hefty
heap of sing-along melodies.
This formula never grows old or
seems derivative in the right
hands, and after likeminded
locals Shot Baker, Anxiety High
is its most promising purveyor
on the current scene.

Though
the quintet only came together
in 2008, its members bear the
pedigrees of several familiar
groups: Guitarists Knife Jones
and "Fish" Vogel were members of
White City Black, and drummer
Ken Wallin and bassist Aaron
Cleall were the rhythm section
of Land of the El Caminos
(recently reactivated after a
long hiatus). Looming largest of
all, however, is Jim Nagrant,
abandoning the drums he hammered
with Phistine Verona to
distinguish himself as the
burliest, most unlikely but
ultimately most endearing front
man this side of Pegboy's Larry
Damore.

The group's buzz has been
building since a head-turning
appearance at last year's Riot
Fest, and songs such as "Sober,"
"The Mechanic" and "Fight"
illustrate why as they roar via
streaming audio from the band's
Web site
(http://www.myspace.com/anxietyhigh).
But Anxiety High is best
appreciated live, and after a
bout of touring in the South
(smart move, leaving winter
behind), it next takes the stage
at home on March 4 at the
Rockbox, 2624 N. Lincoln.